Middle East airlines are playing a major role in providing connectivity to non-traditional destinations from Brazil as an increasing number of Brazilians now seeking newer travel options, a top global UN tourism official said.
Gulf carriers Emirates, Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways presently fly to Brazil. Speaking at the Brazilian Tour Operators Association (Brazatoa) 2015 Yearbook release, held as part of the WTM Latin America, Marco Favilla de Paula, executive director of UNWTO (World Tourism Organisation), said Brazil is an important source market for the global tourism industry with Brazilians spending $26 billion abroad last year.WTM Latin America concluded on Friday (April 24) in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
De Paula said global international tourism industry is expected to see a significant 4.4 per cent growth this year. By 2020, the total number of international arrivals globally will reach 1.4 billion and by 2030 the number will hit 1.8 billion. “By then almost one-sixth of the global population will be travelling internationally,” he told Travel and Tourism News Middle East.
De Paula said the world is witnessing two revolutions – that of the Internet and travel. “Both are together shaping what the world will look in the future. The world will become less complicated as people travel and understand each other better,” he added. Domestic tourism is also a major market and this is set to grow in a big way as people have more spending power, said the UN tourism official. Giving the example of Brazil, he said inter-region air travel within bigger countries was increasing and set to overtake surface transport, thanks to the cheaper air fares offered by airlines.
Meanwhile, Brazatoa announced in its report that tour operators in Brazil had earned a total of 12 billion reals ($4.029 billion) in 2014, a growth of 6.65 per cent over the previous year. Despite subdued demand during World Cup and the national election, Brazil experienced an increase of 1.86 per cent in traveller numbers last year, the report added.
